Documents have surfaced that purport to demonstrate that Yahaya Bello, the immediate former governor of Kogi State, withdrew thousands of dollars from the state government account to pay tuition fees in advance for his family members who were enrolled in the school and even those who would register later.
The American International School of Abuja acknowledged in a letter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, had been depositing $845,852,84 into their bank account since September 2021 in order to cover the advance tuition for four family members in the current class until their graduation.
Additionally, payment was provided for the family’s future enrollment of any students.
The payment was made by Mr. Ali Bello, who is said to be Yahaya Bello’s eldest son, according to the paper.
According to the document, the school has already taken out the costs for the educational services that the Bello children have received from the institution. The remaining amount, $760, 910, will be refunded to an account that the EFCC has provided while the commission continues its investigation into the allegations of money laundering made against Yahaya Bello.
“No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition until they graduate from ASIA,” the school further stated regarding the children of the Bello family.
This comes after former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello took $720,000 out of public funds to cover his child’s school fees ahead of time, according to information revealed by Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In Abuja, Olukoyede gave a speech during a roundtable discussion with media executives.
According to the head of the EFCC, the former governor of Kogi moved funds from state coffers to a bureau de change operator, who then used the funds to pay his child’s school fees ahead of time. Olukoyede stated that Bello paid in advance, knowing that his employment would eventually expire (see here).
The head of the EFCC stated, “A sitting governor moved money directly from the government to Bureau de change and used it to pay his child’s school fee in advance because he knew he was leaving office.”
More than $720,000 in expectation of his departure from the government residence. You want me to close my eyes while I’m in a bad place like Kogi, pretending that I’m being used. By whom is it used? Right now in my life.”
